Broken Strings
by A.Single.Gal
Summary: Mellie has had enough of feeling neglected and unheard. She gives up, giving Fitz what he wanted all along. But, what would his reaction be when he watches her turn around and walk away? [Mellitz]
1. The Truth Hurts and Lies Worse

_A/N:_ ** _S_** **poilers if you haven't watched S4 Finale** : Slightly AU due to ignoring the fact that Mellie met with Papa Pope, hence she was never asked to leave the WH, Cyrus never got fired, Fitz and Olivia didn't have that balcony scene, and Elizabeth still has a job not a position.

Rated not appropriate for Olitz.

* * *

"I'm done. I can't take the heartbreak. The humiliation. The disrespect anymore." Mellie said as she sobbed trying not to shed more tears in front of Fitzgerald.

It was evident in her red eyes and damped face that she had been crying for a while. She didn't like to show face when she was crying. It made her feel weak and vulnerable. But she could not take it anymore. She was truly done, she didn't care anymore.

The First Lady had stepped into the Oval Office just thirty seconds ago, she had noticed her husband was on the phone, but didn't care. He needed to hear this. It was probably Olivia on the other end, anyways. It had been years of Mellie watching him have an affair that she had already memorized the body language and tone of voice Fitz used when talking to his mistress over the phone.

"One second." He gently requested over the phone before pulling it away from his ear and looking over to the brunette standing in front of his desk. She had kept her distance, standing right on the presidential seal in the rug.

He was immediately filled with indifference and rolled his eyes while she continued voicing her feelings. "I thought we could be friends and heal together. But it was clearly just me." She frowned, hurt evident in her voice.

They had been getting along just fine for the past few months. They both were doing great in their political positions -he as the President and she as a Junior Senator representing Virginia. They could be in the same room for more than five minutes and not want to kill each other.

Fitz had been showing up for her, but only when it came to work. At the end of the day, Mellie would still feel empty and broken. She would still go to bed next to the cold shadow of the man she had married.

He would disappoint her every now and then. But that day, she had had enough. He had played her, he had punched her right in the chest and shattered her heart. It was painful to kneel down and pick up the pieces. She couldn't do that again.

Fitz had fed her mixed signals for weeks now, the brunette unable to distinguish his tenderness came only to her career and not her persona; but why should she? He was her husband. She should be fulfilled as a wife as much as a team player.

That morning, Mellie was walking over to her office in the East Wing. She liked the fact that she could still hang out at her First Lady office while being Senator of Virginia. This was the thought occupying her mind. A pair of hands reached out to her from behind. They settled on her hips and called out her name.

The familiar voice made her turn around with a smile on her face. His touch almost never failed on bringing one up to her lips.

"Hey." She greeted her husband facing him.

"Lunch today? Does one sound good?" He was in a good mood.

Mellie never let go an opportunity like this. She kept smiling and nodded. "Sounds good." She agreed to meet him at the Family Dining Room at one in the afternoon for lunch.

The idea made her have something to look forward to for the rest of the morning. She had been wanting to spend some time alone with her husband and he always had an excuse at the tip of his tongue. It had been a surprise to have him suggest lunch himself.

It was a good surprise, too good to be true...

Mellie was sitting at her usual place. That large wooden table empty, just herself sitting there with a plate of food in front of her. She had a fork in her right hand and played it lightly in her meal. She kept looking up to the clock fixed on the wall. It kept reminding her Fitz was half an hour late.

Then he was an hour late, and even though each second went by slower than the last one, soon he was two hours late. By then, Mellie Grant knew he was not showing up. It was three in the afternoon and the brunette hadn't had a bite of food. She wasn't hungry, anymore. He had left her stood up, and it had hurt.

It was humiliating, even though no one was there to witness her frown and the way her eyes were fighting those tears of neglect. She sighed closing her eyes and trying to calm her heart. It had been beating fast for the past few minutes as she let herself admit he was not showing up.

After pushing her plate away from her and letting go of that fork.

She stood up and headed out of the dining room and over to her office.

On her way, she decided to stop by the Oval Office. She snuck into the waiting area and saw him working at his desk, dirty dishes on the table by the couch. She looked down with a frown. Figuring out he would rather eat alone in his office than with her. It hurt. The truth hurt. The maid gently walked past her to pick up the dishes and Mellie walked away. Fitz never realizing she had passed by.

She made it to her office, requesting not to be bothered. She shut the door behind her and sunk on the couch after fixing herself a glass of hooch. She took the first sip and frown at how strong it was. It always took her a couple of sips before getting used to it.

She knew better than drinking with an empty stomach, but didn't care. She was trying to figure out, trying to understand what had happened between nine in the morning and one in the afternoon that day. Why would he approach her so affably just to leave her there waiting?

This wasn't the first time, though. She soon was able to put apart the supporting President Grant who was there for Senator Mellie Grant working with her as a team from Fitzgerald, her husband, who wouldn't look at nor notice his wife standing there.

Even though they were partners and were working pleasantly around the other, she still didn't have what she wanted. She was still not happy. It upset her, it sadden her.

The brunette couldn't take it. She was quietly letting her broken heart vent as she cried those heavy tears in the quietness of her office.

She had spent the past decade trying to get his attention. She had worked hard to gain his approval. She had stolen moments to remind him she loved him. She had stood by his side in good, bad, and even worse. All these years, she had stayed because she didn't want to give up on them. But she couldn't take it anymore.

She knew what people thought of her. That she was in for the power, for her political advantage. But Mellie Grant didn't care what people think, she knew the reasons behind every action she had taken. She also knew that lately, she had been feeling like he was the one taking advantage of her. That he only kept her around so she could drive the political vehicle of his presidential carriage.

He was only nice to her political alter ego, never his wife. She didn't care for any of it unless they were doing it together, not only as a team but as a couple. She had dove into politics as his wife, nothing else.

The realization of letting her brain admit that she had believed all his lies because they hurt less than the truth made her dizzy, or maybe it was that second glass of liquor. She had kept pretending hoping one day he would start living and believe they could be the couple their country thought they were, but today after waiting for her husband to show up for lunch. After hoping her husband would remember she existed, she realized she was pretending alone and she couldn't any more.

So she was now standing on that presidential seal a few steps away from him, with what was left of her.

"Okay?" He said annoyed she had interrupted his evening call to Olivia.

"You asked me to have lunch with you and didn't show up." She said with broken eyes. "Why do you get my hopes up just to crush them onto the floor?" She asked, begging him not to be so cruel to her.

"I forgot." He coldly shrugged about their plans.

"You forgot?" She frowned, almost insulted by his response. She was waiting for a lie that would make the pain ease along, but instead he was honest to her, truth felt like a dagger going through her chest.

Fitz looked over and for a second let his green eyes meet her blue ones. That's when he realized how much this was hurting her. He didn't understand, though. He was giving her what she wanted. Or so he thought. He couldn't help but frown back.

"I'm sorry." He offered, but Mellie didn't feel it.

"I thought we could work this out." She said looking down at her feet.

"But aren't we? Virginia loves you, and the rest of the states are jealous they don't have you." He smiled trying to smooth the conversation and maybe have her mirror that smile.

"But I don't have you." She said feeling a tear rolling down her cheek.

"But you are molding to become the first female president, isn't that what you want?"

He knew Mellie didn't have him. The mistress on the other end of that call, casually listening to this conversation, was prove of it. He had felt like he didn't have Mellie, either. That for a decade now, he had lost her to power. But he was wrong, and about to find out a few hours too late.

"No. Being president is not what I want." She was insulted. "I wanted another shot at us, I don't care if I'm senator or president, or the queen of the world." She rubbed her temples lightly fighting the headache this conversation was threatening to create. "All I wanted was your approval, to make you proud of me, want to hang out with me. Fall back in love with me." She sighed and looked into his eyes. "I didn't do this so I could gain power, I did it so I could be with you and be part of you, stay a part of you."

Fitz looked over at the phone realizing Olivia was still on the line. Mellie noticed this and felt her heart breaking even more if possible; his wife was standing in front of him with her cards down on the table, begging for a second and all he could do was think of that cheap mistress of his. She looked up and nodded.

"I can't make you love me. I can't deal with this anymore. So I'm stepping back. I can't sleep knowing you are on the phone with her at 3 am." She added pointing out at the phone.

Mellie took a few steps back toward his desk and slowly pulled her wedding ring and engagement ring off her finger.

"I know you probably have a set of divorce papers in one of those drawers or you probably use them to fuck your whore."

"I don't care." She added shaking her head placing her palm up on the air so she would stop his next thought from forming words and speaking. "I'm all packed and taking a plane to Virginia." She filled him in. "Like you said; they love me there. I'm sick of being around people who don't." She added.

Fitz was quiet letting her talk as he always did, letting his brain absorb all of this.

"You can sign the papers and mail them to me there so I can too." She said placing the rings on his desk.

Fitz looked down at them and tried to read her. He was trying to call on her bluff. But he couldn't, she sounded legitimate. She looked hurt and broken. Truly undone, she wasn't acting the part. She was feeling it.

"I'm done." She sighed and took a few steps back. "I hope you are happy now." She added before reaching for the door. "I'm only taking with me what I had before your first term. I can't really keep what isn't mine, can I?" She said lightly and stepped out.

She left Fitz disturbed. His brain taking a moment to take in all that had happened. Had she really left? It took him five minutes to realize Mellie had left him. By then, she was already in a car, on her way to the airport.

"I have to go." He said coldly over the phone and hung up on Olivia. He took those rings on his desk and frowned looking down at them.

Mellie's ride to the airport took longer than expected. The route her driver had taken was experiencing a little traffic. It was a good thing she was taking a private jet to Virginia; they would wait for her.

Mellie made it to the private gate and admired the jet from her backseat window. The driver got the door for her and she stepped out. The brunette fixed her skirt and took a deep breath. She nodded to the driver and started to walk up the stair case leading onto the jet.

Once on the cabin, she looked around admiring the luxurious space. "Fitz?" She frowned not expecting for him to be standing there. Not at all.


	2. Playing House in the Ruins of Us

The driver was on his way up carrying Mrs. Grant's luggage when he recognized the President standing there on the other end of the cabin. He quickly turned around and walked back down the stair case giving them some privacy.

"How the h-" Mellie got interrupted, holding on that thought.

"No! I already heard you. Now you hear me out." Fitz demanded.

The look in his face was still projecting confusion. Everything had happened so fast. He didn't have time to assimilate anything. He just knew one thing, "You don't get to leave me!" He shook his head. The sound of those words and the feeling so real in his head were painful. The nightmare of dealing with a divorce, the heartache. The reality of it all, it was breaking him down, but he needed to look strong and firm on this.

"Why the hell not?" She spat offended. She mouthed out the pronoun _You_ as she pointed at him with her index finger, but she couldn't put it out. Her brain was screaming and giving her mouth and vocal cords the instruction to point out he had picked his mistress. But, her heart couldn't take it so she couldn't say it out loud. "You-" she frowned for a couple of seconds.

Her blue eyes slowly looked up just to witness how he was slowly walking toward her. She bent her arms up using them to keep him at an arm's length. He gently took her from her waist and pressed her against one of the walls. She looked away and her breathing started to turn heavy. She couldn't face him, not without tearing up.

"Because you are my wife." He murmured as he gently kept her against the wall of that cabin with his body. "I'm sorry." He frowned and rested his forehead against hers.

Mellie always caught herself surprised he would get that close. She frowned lightly and looked up to his eyes trying to find a valid reason as to why he had run after her. "You don't get to be sorry." She murmured lightly, slowly bringing her arms down feeling how he pulled her closer. "Unless you mean it." She added closing her eyes letting her nose take on his scent.

"I'd do anything. Tell me what to do and I'll do it." He murmured brushing his lips against hers.

Mellie immediately looked up. He had borrowed that line from a conversation they had had years back. She frowned and her heart immediately knew what she wanted. She took a moment before saying it, though.

She smiled softly, letting her arms relax lightly and her hand slid down his chest.

"Somewhere in here is that girl that kept me warm." He said pointing at his heart, "And when you left, you let a cold breeze in and hit me hard." He added.

Mellie chuckled lightly at how beautifully he was referring to the memory that had kept her hanging on for all those years.

Every time she felt like she couldn't take his cold harsh behavior, she thought about that cold winter. She would close her eyes and picture herself freezing, with her caring husband asking her to join him under that blanket.

The memory of his warm strong arms around her always made her cry. But it made her hang on and wait for that man to show up.

But lately, she didn't recognize him anymore. That's why she had giving up on them. She was playing house by herself on the ashes of their past. He wasn't there anymore, and she had to leave.

"Fitz..." She murmured as she felt his body completely pressed against hers, his lips contemplating hers, while both their breathings blended into one.

"Anything." He insisted.

"I..." She frowned. She moved her hands slowly sliding them up around his neck. "I don't want to _see_ her... I don't want to _hear_ her voice... I don't want to _smell_ her scent... I don't want to _say_ her name ever again." The brunette listed lightly. Four out of five senses represented on her wish. Each of those things hurt in a different way.

Mellie looked up watching him nod, "I promise." He agreed to technically never have Olivia Pope walk into their house again.

She smiled lightly, her fingers slowly brushing the back of his head. His short dark hair soft against her touch.

"I know it's not going to be easy to turn this wall into a home again. But I promise I'll try. She is out. You are in." He assured her kissing her softly.

Mellie teared up slowly kissing him back. He was giving up on this addiction he had fed for a decade and it scared her. But she loved him, and he was in front of her promising to try.

She pulled back from that gentle kiss and smiled lightly.

His cellphone started to go off. Mellie looked over with a frown. He reached out into the front pocket of his suit jacket making her take a step back.

He took his hand back out, and opening it he reveal both her rings on the palm of his hand. His cell phone still ringing, but if he could ignore it so could Mellie.

She looked down and tilted her head. She slowly reached out and took those rings back.

"Thank you." He offered waiting for her to wear them back on.

"Are you going to take that?" She asked about the noisy cell phone, figuring he would at least tell his mistress that he had picked his wife and not to bother them again.

She wouldn't mind witnessing that conversation, tell her stats never lied and men never left their wives for the mistress.

"No." He shook his head and taking his cell phone, he took the SIM card out. He handed it over to Mellie and she wondered for a moment.

She set it on the floor and broke it with her heel. She picked it up and handed it back to Fitz.

He reached out for her hand and guided her off the jet.

"You'll have to postpone your visit to Virginia, I'm not letting you flight out tonight." He teased lightly as they both walked down the staircase.

"Madam, should I reload the car?" The driver asked figuring she wasn't getting on that flight.

Mellie looked over and nodded. "I'm going back home." She filled the driver in. "I'll see you there." She offered Fitz before starting to slip her hand away from his.

"See you there." He agreed pulling her close and kissing her lightly.

He let go of her hand and slipped into his car before this one took off.

Mellie found the destroyed SIM card in her hand. She smiled lightly and taking a second before getting in her own car.


	3. Running Back to the Fire

He was trying, and she could feel it. He was patient, and she appreciated it. He was tender, and this broke her.

Mellie had gotten used to Fitz being cold and indifferent toward her. She didn't know how to act, how to behave toward this new person. Every touch, every kiss, every smile hurt.

It was like she was expecting him to laugh at her and point out how naïve she had been, believing him when it was all a scheme. How could a man be so tender to her? She, unconsciously, had set her mind on how she wasn't worth it and how she wasn't made for this.

The overwhelming warmth of Fitz's arms around her as he slept had her frozen in bed by his side. It had been over a week since he had run after her, and each night he would go to bed, spoon her, and not let go.

Mellie had her eyes opened, a frown between her eyebrows as she looked at the wall. Her mind running a trail of insecurities through her thoughts.

She had spent all night thinking about how things had changed. Trying to let her heart feel everything, convince herself it was okay and safe now. But this was going to take a while, and that was okay. She just worried he wouldn't understand.

Her heart, her essence, her soul had been damaged through out those years of infidelity and words they had told each other. She was willing to stand up, let him pick up the pieces and glue them back together. Every thing that had happened those past ten days were helping her gain confidence.

She sighed, and immediately felt Fitz moving lightly out of bed. He grabbed his cell phone from his night stand and headed to the bathroom.

Mellie could see the light filtering from under the door. She caught the time on the alarm clock sitting on her nightstand. It was three in the morning.

The realization of this made her feel like her throat was closing up and she couldn't breathe. However, she remained under the covers not moving. Waiting for him to come back.

It took him about half an hour to go back to bed. It felt like all night for Mellie. She heard him switch the light off and she lightly closed her eyes.

Fitz plugged his cell phone back on and slid under the blankets beside her, taking on his previous position. The brunette who was wrapped around his arms looked confused. She then felt his warm lips against her shoulder.

The feeling of his lips against her skin stung the way soap and water stung on a deep cut. The way direct contact felt over an open injury. She closed her eyes tightly trying to relax against his touch.

"You awake?" He asked softly running his hands around her belly over the silk fabric of her nightgown. He pulled her close, still behind her.

Mellie let out a quiet breath and smiled lightly. "Everything okay?" She asked trying to sound casual. Maybe he would fill her up on the unexpected call he had done at three in the morning.

"Everything is perfect." He assured her with a murmured against her ear.

"Okay." She tried to sound like she had a smile on her face. A tone she had mastered after years of practice.

"Now let's go back to sleep, I have to be up in two hours, remember?" He reminded his wife he had a day at location. He would be out of the White House for the day.

She nodded, slowly turning around and resting her head on his chest. "Are you going to miss me?" She asked with a light frown.

"You bet." He smiled lightly down at her kissing her forehead softly.

For a second this made Mellie relax enough to get those couple of hours of sleep.

At five in the morning, he was rung announcing it was time to get up. The sound making his sleeping wife whine.

"Shhhhh..." He said lightly brushing her thick dark hair lightly with his fingers before slipping out of bed and heading to the shower. This after kissing her forehead.

Mellie frowned and adjusted in bed taking on his warm spot and holding onto his pillow. It had his scent. She quickly felt back asleep.

After his shower, Fitz headed over to their large walk-in closet and found his suit for the day. He casually peeked into her side of the closet taking a look at what she had scheduled to wear that day. It was an elegant green emerald dress. A set of pearls necklace to complete the attire.

He went over to his ties, and picked one that would match her dress. Maybe they wouldn't be able to see each other that day until late at night, but he wanted to have something on him that would make him smile and think of her.

"Babe, I'm leaving." He announced lightly as he tried finish the last touches on his suit, his tie hanging around his neck.

Mellie looked up and smiled softly. She sat on the bed lightly and reached out to his tie, pulling him down from it for him to sit next to her.

The President of the United Stated chuckled and adjusted next to his First Lady, letting her take care of his tie. She fixed it perfectly around his neck, and made sure his shirt was in place.

"Now you are ready to go." She smiled leaning back toward the pile of pillows behind her.

"You sure, am I not missing anything?" He asked tilting his head to the side.

Mellie took a second to wonder, she shrugged lightly as she nibbled on her lower lip. "Are you?" She let him tell her.

"I think I am..." He nodded lightly before leaning over close to her and softly kissed her lips. "See you later tonight, beautiful." He smiled.

Mellie giggled kissing him back.

"You really didn't think I was taking off without saying goodbye, did you?" He pulled back and stood up from the bed.

The brunette shook her head and hide her blush with the blanket over her body. "No..." She giggled. "See you tonight, handsome." She smiled letting her blue eyes follow him over to the door, where they exchanged a smiled and waved at the other.

Mellie remained in bed wondering if that little flirt had actually happened. She soon managed to get a couple of more hours of sleep.

At seven in the morning, she was awoken by a similar rang her husband had gotten early that dawn. Mellie had fallen asleep on his spot. She moved over to her side and reached out for her cell phone.

She turned it on and immediately got a notification letting her know she had a new voice mail. It was from Fitz's cell phone number, at three in the morning.

Mellie couldn't help smile to herself. She tucked her hair behind her ears and sat up straight against the head board. She slowly pressed up to hear it and placed her cell phone against her ear.

"Good morning, gorgeous. I know today is a long busy day for both of us. I hope you know I'm sitting there thinking of you. I miss you. I'm expecting to be home for dinner, so don't make any plans. I'd love to spend some quality time with my wife after being apart from her all day. What do you say? I hope you enjoy breakfast. By the way, you look beautiful today. How do I know, you say? Well, you are in my mind smiling back and it's killing me that I can't reach out and kiss you. But I'll make up for it tonight, I promise. See you soon."

Mellie hadn't noticed her eyes were heavy in tears. She couldn't remember when was the last time anyone, let alone Fitz, had left her a gesture like that. It was healing to hear his voice so sweet and tender when he talked to her.

She didn't hesitate to press _one_ and listen to it again.

By the time she was out of the shower and wearing her green emerald dress, she had already listen to it about five times.

She went down the stairs leading to the Family Dining Room. She found her breakfast warm and served at her usual seat. She set her cell phone by her side and started eating.

She looked around making sure she was alone and played the voice mail on speaker as she ate her breakfast.

Mellie Grant was fascinated by it. She couldn't wait to talk to him, but knew it was going to take a few more hours. Maybe she could get a hold of him during his lunch break.

After breakfast, and washing her mouth, the First Lady was ready to start her day.

She walked over to the East Wing of the White House. Her own secretary awaiting there handed her two different itineraries; one was her day as The First Lady of the United States and the other one was for her duties as Junior Senator of the State of Virginia.

Inside her office, she found another little surprise. There was a beautiful colorful flower arrangement on her desk.

She walked over and took seat on her chair. Mellie picked up the little note in the arrangement and carefully let her blue eyes read it.

"For the beautiful lady reading this."

The message was simple, but she loved it. The brunette gently took one of the many roses in the glass vase and with her cellphone she took a selfie holding the rose close to her and breathing her scent.

"Guess what? I have a secret admirer..." She sent her husband the photo reading that caption.

She took a second to admire the rose twirling in her fingers before starting work.

It astounded people around her how she managed to juggle between being the First Lady and doing her job as senator. She multitask between both agendas gracefully.

After attending a conference with her peer senators, she was now in the middle of picking a China pattern for this charity event the presidential couple was to host in a few weeks.

She felt her cell phone vibrating on the table and looked over with a smile. It seemed Fitz had found a minute to reply back to her text message from earlier.

"I don't blame him. You are gorgeous." His text read, followed by another bit, "should I be jealous?"

Mellie smiled to herself and didn't waste a second before replying, "I don't know. I'm having dinner with him tonight, though. I'll let you know then." She pressed send and placing her cell back on the table she went back to the China Patterns she had to choose from.

That evening, the sound of people getting on their mark to welcome the presidential limousine alerted the First Lady; her husband was about to make it home.

She rushed to meet him at the stair case by the front door. She smiled at his presence and stepped two stairs down letting him meet her half way.

He walked up to her, holding her from the waist and lifting her up. She giggled before their lips met for a kiss.

"So where is that secret admirer of yours?" He asked teasing her.


	4. Miles Don't Mean Anything

"Did you hide my panties again?" Mellie folded her arm over her hip trying to keep a serious look, but a smile kept threatening to form and burst out a chuckle.

"You can't leave if you don't have underwear to wear." Fitz figured as he shrugged.

The sight of his wife digging drawer after drawer as she packed her luggage was somewhat amusing.

Senator Grant had been called to spend part of the week in Virginia, the state she represented. She was leaving that day, on a Monday, to come back Thursday.

She had asked the President to come along, but he insisted this was a trip she had to do by herself. True, the people had loved the idea sold to them about having their senator wake up next to their leader every morning and so their needs would be exposed before anyone else's. However, Fitz figured that if he went along, Virginians would want to express their concerns and propose their bills directly to him, instead of seeking for their Junior Senator.

"I could buy some there, you know." She rolled her eyes pointing out at something he probably hadn't thought about. But that was just Mellie thinking a few steps ahead.

"And what? Wear those for another day?" He made a disgust face, thinking about Mellie not changing underwear in a two day period.

"Please." She scoffed "I have mastered the art of panties recycling." She reminded him. After all, during her _Smelly Mellie_ phase, she would spend about that time wearing the same pair before changing into a fresh one.

"I'm disgusted by you." He wrinkled his nose in tease, walking closer and starting to put those drawers back in place.

"Even when I kiss you like this?" She flirted lightly, pulling him closer to her.

She ran her hands up his chest, tilting her head up facing him. A smile curved in her lips as Mellie kissed him gently. Her lips giving completely attention to his. She moved her hands back down on his chest and around his waist. Slowly one of them made it into the pocket of his pants, pulling a pair of fresh panties out of there.

She laughed in victory and ran over locking herself in the bathroom. She had to take a shower before leaving and needed to keep those panties safe.

A private jet was expecting her on a large private track.

The presidential couple walked over hand in hand, like they had done for the past seven years every time one of them left town.

It would usually take them seconds to fake a smile, peck the other lightly on the lips, call out a phony _I love you_ , and wave before one of them disappeared behind the jet's door.

But not this time. That morning, they took a moment.

Fitz gently took both of Mellie's hands and made her face him, "I'll miss you." He said softly, his green eyes fixed on her blue ones.

"You better." She teased him kissing his lips gently.

Fitz laughed lightly and let go of her hands, cupping her face.

"When did this turn out to be so difficult?" Mellie frowned with a small pout on her lips.

He rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, "I'll text you every ten minutes. Five if you haven't replied." He murmured brushing his lips against hers.

"What?" She laughed lightly. That made no sense, but it was romantic and adorable so she was just going to let herself have it.

"I'll text you all the time." He paraphrased his previous words.

"Liar..." She flirted.

"I'll try." He chuckled along with her giggles.

Fitz pulled her closer, his eyes meeting her own glowing ones. Mellie looked up with a smile, letting her lips gently kiss his.

"Madam, your flight is ready to take off." One of the flight attendants casually interrupted the moment.

Mellie looked over at Fitz and frowned. She gave him one last kiss and sighed lightly, "I'll miss you too." She finally said back, slowly letting go of his hand and walking up to the jet.

They waved goodbye before Mellie disappeared behind the door. She quickly found a window seat. She watched him from there, and sighed when the jet slowly started to take off.

That evening, Fitz managed to have Secret Service snuck him out of the White House. This was a strategy they had done many times for a decade now. Making each time easier. He had a car waiting for him, the driver already aware where to go.

The man behind the wheel was someone Fitz trusted and he had never let him down. Each time he did this little trip, the man remained quiet.

However, the driver did notice it had been almost a month since Fitz had asked to be driven there.

Once at location, the driver turned the car off; "Mrs. Grant must be out of town." He casually figured her flight had taken off early that day.

Fitz made eye contact with his driver through the rear view mirror and nodded.

"We are here sir." The driver added, "Should I wait for you, Sir?" He asked. Sometimes it was asked of him to come back hours later.

"You can wait here, Pablo." The President requested, "I shouldn't take long." He added before stepping out of the car.

It took Fitz about two minutes to make it into the building, walked over to the apartment he was going to, and knocked the door.

"Fitz?" The President's long term mistress called out as she answered the door.

It was an unexpected visit. They hadn't talked to each other or seen each other since that evening when he hung up on her and ran after his wife.

There was a different air to Fitz, he didn't look tired anymore. His eyes were different. He was standing about five steps away from her.

"I needed to see you." He said softly.

The woman standing on the other side of the room nodded lightly. She took a step over, witnessing how he took one backwards, they did this a couple of times.

"You needed to see me..." She wondered what that meant, seeing how he wouldn't let her get close.

"I don't want to be unfair to you." He explained. "Leaving you hanging." He proceeded. "I don't _want_ to see you anymore." He found himself hesitating those last words, but not because he didn't mean them, but because they were words he would have never thought he would say.

"I kinda figured; after not hearing from you for a month." She sharply pointed out.

Fitz nodded. He could apologize and admit he hadn't been fair. But he could be a little childish at times. It wasn't like Olivia was trying to contact him either, not after he had ignored that one call she made.

"You never called me or wanted to see me." He said. He figured they both were synced and both knew it was better if they ended it.

"I've been busy." Olivia sounded casual. Not knowing, his phone had immediately stopped working after that missed called.

Fitz figured this immediately, "She has always fought for me." then adding, "in her own deviant way."

The conversation was building up to become the childish typical _you didn't call me, so I didn't call you_ fight. Olivia didn't have time for bullshit. So she moved the conversation along,

"I'm not her." She quickly replied. Mellie had sung that line to the mistress several times; for two women who shared very similar characteristics, they could be so different.

Fitz frowned. He knew he truly wanted to make his marriage work out this time, and that's why he had kept away from Olivia.

"She was going to leave me." Fitz frowned, expecting Olivia to understand.

"And that's bad why?" Olivia made a face.

For as long as she could remember, Fitz kept saying the same line over and over again, that he wanted to leave his wife to be with her. To Olivia, the fact that Mellie had finally gotten enough meant Fitz was getting away with what he had wanted all along. That Olivia and he somewhat had won.

"She is my wife." He reminded her with a frown.

Olivia laughed incredulously at the remark. She looked up at the ceiling and walked around her living room.

"I walked away from you six years ago." She pointed out at him with her index finger. "Because You said you wanted to fix your marriage and-" Olivia sighed.

Every time the two of them had this conversation, she always ended up with this huge heartache and always wanted to kick herself in the butt. She was always coming back for more, and it was only then when fantasy became blur and she couldn't believe she believed it, every single time... She believed it.

Fitz didn't say anything. He had a frowned between his eyebrows and his eyes were gently fixed on her dark ones.

"Did she ask you to stop seeing me?" Olivia needed to ask. It wasn't her place to ask her lover if he loved his wife. But she could ask if said wife was sending him over to end things.

"No." He replied. Mellie had not asked him to stop seeing Olivia or stop talking to her. She was a smart woman. Too smart for Fitz at times.

This answer was unexpected. They had ended things many times before, and most of the time it had been her calling it quits. But, there was always this possibility for them to find a way and be together. This time around that possibility was slimmer, almost nonexistent, or it felt like that for the time being.

Olivia had never begged, and she was not going to start now. She had opened the door and walked away from this toxic affair and lived. She was going to be fine.

"Goodbye, Fitz." Olivia worded a few seconds later, opening the door for him to leave.

Mellie had purchased a farm in Virginia. The primary residence was a luxurious mansion. This one sat at a 150 acre, including forests, a freshwater stream, cattle pastures, walking trails, gardens, and a pond.

The 24,000 square foot home included a large living room, formal dining room, a large kitchen, 11 bedrooms and an indoor pool.

Mellie hadn't been at the property since she had last flown over to Virginia for her campaign, but there's where she was staying for those three nights away from home.

She felt small around the tall walls surrounding her. The place had its own chef and maid, and she still managed to feel alone there.

After a long day of work, Senator Grant made it to her property and found herself wondering where to settle. She wanted to enjoy a glass of wine and maybe read on one of her favorite novels.

After about half an hour, she had already loosen her feet out of her heels, her legs were bent sideways. She was reading Gone with the Wind while sipping on a glass of red wine, her body relaxing by the fire place.

The sound of her cell phone ringing broke the peaceful silence built up around her.

She reached out for it and smiled reading the Caller ID, "Liar..." She greeted her husband flirting.

"Hello to you too..." He chuckled, Fitz was still inside of his car on his way back to the White House.

"I loved your invisible text messages." She kept teasing, secretly let down they couldn't talk at all during the day.

"I'm sorry, babe. But, it was a busy day." He sighed, but glad he had caught her on the phone before she called it a day.

"Mine was too." She frowned. "But I'm glad you called." She smiled closing her book and setting it on the side.

Fitz smiled, "What are you up to?" He asked casually as he looked out of the window of his moving car.

"Just reading and drinking some wine." She shrugged lightly filling him in. "What about you?"

"Um, I'm on my way back home." He shifted.

"You went out?" She frowned not remembering he had something scheduled outside the White House.

"I needed to do something, but it's handled." He added.

Mellie frowned lightly, that last part almost giving her goosebumps. After all, it was the other woman's catch phrase. "Okay." She said vaguely, leaving a few seconds of silence slip. "I wish I could see you." She murmured over the phone as she adjusted on the couch trying to get comfortable.

"Are you okay, beautiful?" Fitz almost missed the change in her tone.

"Yeah..." She played the tip of her fingers through the soft fabric of her skirt. "Why?" She asked frowning.

Fitz frowned trying to read her voice through the phone call.

"This house is huge, and I wish you would have come." She added, trying to distract her mind before he could read it.

He had his reasons for staying in D.C, the main one being that he wanted her to be the star. It was her time to show the people she could shine by herself.

"You know it wasn't because I didn't want to go, right?" He needed to make sure she knew that.

Mellie picked her heels up the floor and hung them in the air over her shoulder, so she could keep her cell phone against her ear. She grabbed her glass of wine and headed over to the master bedroom.

Fitz was already at their room back in the White House, no one noticing he had been gone. He went straight to the bathroom as he talked to Mellie and started to brush his teeth.

"What are you doing?" She laughed as she fixed her bed, getting ready to turn in.

"I'm brushing my teeth." He said, the tooth brush in his mouth.

Mellie stood straight for a moment. She hadn't realized he wasn't in the car anymore until now. Her mind alarming her about that whole thing he had to do, but she fought the thought down to the back of her mind.

"Please don't pee while we talk." She begged him as she closed her eyes trying to keep herself calm. She was feeling jealousy sparking through her neurons trying to figure out where he had gone, and she didn't want to feel that way.

Fitz playfully flushed the toilet beside him and laughed, "Sorry, what was that?"

"Fitz!" She laughed. Mellie walked over to her bathroom and found a packed, brand new toothbrush sitting on the sink counter next to an equally new toothpaste.

She looked at herself through the mirror over the sink and sighed lightly. If he could talk over the phone while brushing his teeth, so could she.

She laughed to herself while she brushed her teeth, her cellphone on speaker while sitting on the counter.

"This is nice." She was new to this whole over the phone thing. She was lucky if he would brush with her around.

She was used to doing everything alone. Eat alone, figure he was miles away when she was showering or changing. But now, he teased her while she got ready and was always enjoying himself around her. "I like it." She said, trying not to sound too moved by the warmth his new behavior brought over her wounded heart.

Fitz smiled over the phone, before he finished up brushing. "I like it, too." He agreed.

Mellie couldn't get herself talk while brushing. So she left Fitz waiting in line, hearing nothing but the sound of her toothbrush against her teeth and water running down the sink faucet.

He laughed at how prude she was at times.

"Hi..." She greeted him back after she was done with her cleaning ritual. She had her make-up off, her teeth clean, and was ready to go to bed.

"Welcome back." He laughed at her.

"Are you mocking me?" She asked as she made herself into bed.

"I must say, this was amusing." He, too, made his way into bed.

"Now what?" She asked about what would happen next, not really _amused_ by his mockery.

"We say goodnight," he started.

"Oh." She replied a little disappointed.

"...and I wake you up with a good morning call." He offered.

"That sounds lovely." She liked the idea.

"So it's a date." He teased about that morning call.

"Goodnight..." She offered playfully.

"Goodnight, Mrs. Grant."

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you so much to all of you who come read every week. Every review is warmly appreciated; they are the fuel that keeps my muse alive.


	5. Just a Kiss Goodnight

It was Tuesday morning, Mellie had gotten up that day earlier than usual. She had a long day ahead of her. She was wondering in her room, a long silk bathtub wrapped around her body.

She looked over at the sound of her cell phone. This one announcing someone was calling her. The time on the lock screen reading it was eight in the morning.

She smiled eyeing it was Fitz who was calling. "Good morning..." She flirted upon answering.

She sounded alert and fed, it seemed he was a couple of hours late for that promised wake up call. "You are already up." He was a little disappointed.

"Yeah. I started early today. I'm about to hop into the shower and have someone pick me up afterwards ." She filled him in.

Fitz was sitting at the Truman Balcony, "so I called you just in time, after all."

Mellie tilted her head, she could hear a smirk in his voice. "Yeah, I have about twenty minutes before I have to go." She explained, pinning her hair up on her head. Fitz was now on speaker while her cell phone rested on her dresser.

"Or we could talk while you shower." He suggested in a teasing tone.

His wife, new to all this, didn't follow. "I don't believe my phone is waterproofed." She rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure there is a dock for that in the shower." He pointed out. "You could plug your cell there."

Mellie incredulous, walked into the bathroom and looked for it. She immediately found it, "why is that there?" She had no idea it existed.

"It comes _handy_." He smirked at his choice of words.

"Oh lord!" She exclaimed picking her cell back. She now understood his intentions. "Fitz, I don't know." Mellie bit on her lower lip contemplating that dock, both her blue eyes fixed on it.

"It'd be fun..." He exhorted her.

"I... Don't even know what to do!" She was a little nervous. "Just the thought! You have me all blushed." She admitted.

Fitz found that adorable. "Just close your eyes." He said gently against the phone.

Mellie closed them sighing lightly. She bit on her lower lip waiting for him to talk. "Okay..."

"Now, imagine me coming behind you, slowly hugging your waist from behind, burying my nose against your shoulder, kissing the side of your neck gently up to your ear...and trapping your earlobe between my lips...gently pulling from it..."

Mellie giggled as she stood there by the shower.

Fitz rested his back against the lounge chair, he had his legs parted, his posture was relaxed. He was still wearing his pajama pants, a shirt, and a robe. "Are you with me, babe?" He asked softly.

Mellie gulped lightly, still hesitating this whole thing. She wasn't ready to be intimate with him, though this probably didn't count. He was miles away. She managed to bring herself into plugging her cell on the shower dock and it automatically went back to speaker.

Fitz smiled noticing the echo it created, he took her move as a yes to his question. "How do you feel? Having my arms around you?" He asked her, his tone of voice still calmed trying to keep her relaxed.

"I like being in your arms." She admitted, thinking about that feeling. She wasn't used to it yet, but it made her feel butterflies in her tummy. Mellie turned the shower on, waiting for the water to warm up.

"I'd give anything to be able to kiss around your neck and down your spine, let my hands gently untie your bathrobe from around your waist." He sighed lightly.

His wife slowly brushed her fingers along those long fabric cords, untying that robe from around her waist.

"Let my lips give your shoulders soft kisses, helping your robe slide down your body." He continued.

Mellie let the robe drop down to the floor, the bathroom slowly becoming foggy, steam coming out of the glass shower.

"You are so beautiful..." Fitz murmured, imagining Mellie naked in front of him in that bathroom. He kept his mind thinking about the things he'd do if he were there while letting his free hand do the rest. "Even more so when you are blushing." He said lightly.

Mellie giggled wondering how he knew she was blushing at the compliment.

"I'd take your hand... And lead you over to the shower. Help you step in and kiss you gently under the shower, letting that warm water wash over us." He continued.

Mellie walked over and stepped into the shower as Fitz kept describing everything he wished he could do.

"Would you let me soap your soft skin?" He asked, slowly getting lost in his fantasy.

Mellie had a loofah in her hands. She bit on her lower lip and looked up at the dock. "Yes..." She murmured with her eyes closed. She kept them closed, slowly brushing the loofah against her skin; starting with the back of her neck and down each of her arms.

"Mellie..." Fitz slowly and gently moaned her name.

"Sir." Someone clearing his throat was heard from behind. "I'm sorry, Sir..." Cyrus called out poking his head through the glass door connected to the balcony.

The Chief of Staff's voice hearable on the other side of the call.

"Shit." Mellie laughed nervously, feeling completely embarrassed. Letting go of the loofah, she covered her face with her hands ashamed of the situation.

"What now?" The President was annoyed he had been interrupted.

"The gardener is wondering if you could take your little...venture...to a more...secluded area."

The gardener had been on a ladder all this time, trimming a tree a few feet from the balcony.

Mellie hearing all this couldn't help but laugh. She covered her mouth with her hands, trying to baffle it.

"Oh jeez." Fitz tilted his head back against the chair losing the mood. "Thank you, Cyrus." He offered, dismissing him.

"Yes, Sir." He excused himself.

"I'm sorry." Fitz apologized to his wife who was still on the other end of the line.

She couldn't stop laughing. "It's okay. I'm sorry, too, babe." She said genuinely but still laughing.

"I'll make it up, this is not over." He assured her.

"It'll have to wait, though. I need to be ready in ten minutes before my ride is here." She explained.

"I hate this." Fitz was upset.

"We'll find the right moment." She promised.

Fitz groaned still annoyed.

"I need to finish my shower, and you should take one too." She teased him.

"I'll call you tonight." He promised as he nodded, letting her go.

"Bye..." She flirted before hearing their call disconnecting.

That phone call, even if brief, had turned into a distraction for Mellie. She spent her day occasionally blushing. Her mind only waking up from day dreaming when people would point out she was blushing.

Being distracted also made the day go by faster, which was good. She had spent the last twelve hours imagining the many ways that phone call could have continued.

It was a late call from Fitz what made her realize she had already gotten into a car and was on her way back to her place.

"What's on your mind?" She quickly wondered as she took the call.

Fitz chuckled at her tone of voice. She was flirting, a greeting not necessary, "I'm asking myself where could you be at this late hour."

Millie smiled as she adjusted on the back seat of the car. "Mentally or physically?" She kept flirting. The First Lady wanted to find words to tell him she had spent all day thinking about that shower they almost took.

Fitz took a second on that question. "I couldn't stop thinking about you all day." He offered.

"You invaded my mind." She replied softly onto the phone. Her car pulling over, the driver getting the door for her.

"I'm not planning on getting out of there any time soon." He laughed gently. "Where are you?" He asked tenderly.

"I just made it h-" Mellie held up on that though, "I was going to say home, but you are not here..." She frowned.

Mellie got herself into her new property and gently closed the front door behind her. She managed to keep her cell phone pinned against her ear while taking her heels off.

"Am I not?" He wondered.

Mellie walked through the foyer and over to the kitchen. The glass wall facing over to her garden reflecting the light of dozens of candles lit at the other side.

"Welcome home." Fitz smiled over the phone before hanging up. He waved at her and walked in to greet her.

The brunette placed her things on the kitchen counter and met him half way. "Fitz! What's all this?" She asked letting him wrap his arms around her waist and kiss her gently.

"Can't a husband cook dinner for his wife?" He wondered tilting his head.

"What?" She was amazed. "You cooked dinner?" Mellie couldn't remember when the last time he had cooked for them was. The thought took her over a decade back, before he run for Governor.

Fitz nodded. He took her hand lightly and escorted her out to the back patio.

He had set up the table she had there. Fitz had taken the liberty to give her grill good use. He had a bottle of wine in a cooler by the mini bar. His private helicopter was a few yards out on her large backyard.

There was light music playing from the speakers hiding around her garden.

"My god..." She murmured admiring every detail, every gesture. Mellie looked over and hugged him from his waist, kissing him gently. "Wh-um...th" She was speechless.

"I just wanted to have dinner with you." He shrugged lightly. "Make up for all those times I never did." He murmured pulling her close, his fingers slipping along her temples, brushing her dark hair back, tucking it behind her ears.

Mellie could feel the warmth of this moment burning her still fragile heart. She slowly let her forehead rest against his. The sound of that memory, all of those times he had stood her up made her tear up.

"Can I ever make it up to you?" His voice begging for her to forgive him.

Mellie frowned, letting her nose brush against his. She closed her eyes, trying to keep her tears from falling. "This is beautiful..." She nodded lightly.

He smiled softly, letting his lips kiss her gently. "You are beautiful." He murmured, tilting her head up so he could make eye contact.

Mellie smiled softly, the reflection of lit candles twinkling in her blue eyes. "I don't even know how I'm holding up." She chuckled looking down, sobbing lightly.

"Come on..." He suggested gently and led her over to the seat he had set up for her at their table.

The warmth of the nearby grill felt nice against her skin.

"I hope you are in the mood for some lamb chops." He announced, pulling up the grill's lid.

Dinner consisted in three courses. For entrée, they were having a green salad with chopped tomatoes, walnuts, bacon, and Caesar dressing. Their main dish was to be grilled lamb chops, and grilled potatoes with butter. And for dessert, he had brought from home this Nutella Cheese Cake that drove the First Lady to the roof. The latter was in the minibar, so it could stay cool.

It couldn't get more romantic than a charming meal under the stars. After sharing dessert, the couple was slow dancing to the soft music filling the silence.

Time had gone by fast. It was after midnight, and it was until now Fitz was starting to realize his pilot was still waiting for him at the helicopter.

He looked down at the woman gently swinging along to his lead, her head sleepily resting against his chest, her weight pinned against his body, while his arms around her waist firmly kept her standing.

"Mel..." He gently murmured against her ear.

"One more..." She asked for the tenth time.

The President had been reminding her he had to go back to D.C. back to the White House. He had an early meeting that following morning. The First Lady kept asking him to stay one more dance, and then he could kiss her goodnight.

"You need some sleep. Don't you have that interview tomorrow morning?" He reminded her she too had to be up early.

"Then, let's go to bed." Mellie suggested, inviting him to stay the night.

"Babe..." Taking in consideration he had to fly back home, he'd only be staying a few hours.

"I don't care." She insisted. "I don't care if we'll only sleep for four hours." She frowned still half asleep.

Those candles he had set up hours before, slowly dying. The wax almost completely melted, only the light of the full moon above them illuminating their way back to the mansion.

"Alright." He gave in. "Let's go to bed." He agreed.

Mellie managed to wake herself up and smiled up at him.

"But I'm getting my goodnight kiss in the moonlight." He demanded with a murmured.

Fitz softly let his hands pull her closer and kissed her gently. His lips tenderly feeling hers. Both their eyes closed, taking on the moment.

"Goodnight." Mellie giggled upon breaking off the kiss.


	6. Like a Light bulb in a Dark Room

It was finally Thursday, the day Mellie had come back home from her trip to Virginia.

It had been a long week, but she was happy to be finally home. She was exhausted; being a politician meant you couldn't catch a break.

The First Lady had been home for six hours now, and hadn't sit down for a second. She and Fitz kept working until they had taken care of everything down in their agenda for that day.

He had been the first one to make it to their room, Mellie found him wearing a robe and sitting at the edge of the bed, watching some news on the TV.

For the past few days, they had been a subject of interest among the media. The presidential helicopter had been spot at Senator Grant's residence in Virginia and his surprise visit had them be America's _It_ Couple of the week.

Every magazine, newspaper, and news channel wanted to know every single detail about them.

The Presidential Couple found it amusing; their marriage had never gotten so much attention before. The constant struggle of trying to come across as genuine in the public eye made them glad it was until now people seemed fascinated by it.

Mellie had finally managed to call it a day, and headed over to the bedroom. She sat by Fitz at the edge of the bed and rested her head on his shoulder, glancing over to the TV.

"Cyrus said they are asking people to come up with a nickname for us, like _Brangelina_." The First Lady chuckled, at the footage flashing on TV.

"What the hell is a Brangelina?" The President curved an eyebrow, turning the TV off.

She shrugged laughing. "It's supposed to be a mash up of our names." She smiled about the nickname people wanted to give the couple, "it's supposed to be a 'thing'." She motioned with finger quotes, not sure how she felt about it.

"He is loving all this." Fitz shook his head. "He is pimping us to the press." He pointed at the TV with the remote control still in his hand.

"It's good for our public image." Mellie lightly defended The Chief of Staff. "Do you think he has hidden cameras in here?" She frowned lightly, gently brushing her nose down her husband's cheek and kissed it lightly.

"He better not." Fitz hoped for Cyrus's own sake.

The man had been talking about some sightings he had in mind for the couple. Give the press what they wanted.

"We look cute." She teased him about all those covers featuring them and the footage they had watched for the past few days.

Fitz chuckled lightly, "I was about to take a shower." He smiled at Mellie and gently caressed her arm.

"Alright." The brunette nodded lightly, "I'll go check on Teddy." She smiled lightly and patting his knee lightly, she stood up and walked out of their room.

Fitz tilted his head watching her walk away.

"Hey, buddy." Mellie greeted her toddler son as she snuggled up in bed next to him. She was glad Teddy was still half awake.

That boy was growing up so fast. He was about three years old already. The toddler blinked lightly and curled up against her, sucking on his thumb.

Mellie didn't say much. She just lied next to him, brushing her fingers through his brown thin hair. She smiled watching his blue eyes slowly giving up and blinking as he fought sleep.

The First Lady felt him finally giving in and fall asleep. She gently pulled his thumb out of his mouth and tucked him in. Mellie stood up by his bed and bending down, she kissed his forehead. She quietly walked out of his room and closed the door behind her.

She found Fitz in the same position she had left him fifteen minutes ago, "What happened to your shower?" She casually wondered tilting her head.

"I was waiting for you." He smiled softly. Maybe the first time she hadn't gotten the hint, he figured.

"For me?" She tilted her head watching him stand up.

"You are joining me, right?" He requested, taking a step closer. Fitz slipped his fingers under her chin and brought her sight up to face him.

"I didn't think you'd want me to..." She frowned getting a little nervous.

Their history involving joined showers wasn't the sexiest. The last time she had made a move on it ended up with her in the corner, startled at his temper.

"I want you to..." He murmured, looking into her eyes, hoping she would.

Mellie gulped lightly. She let her eyes study his. A straight face trying to read him. She looked over to the bathroom door and back at him.

"Fitz..." She whispered against his lips, these brushing against hers begging her to join him.

"Please..."

A sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes, giving into the kiss. She nodded her head, "You go ahead. I'll meet you there." She agreed.

Fitz smiled and nodded. He did as Mellie suggested and headed over to the bathroom, starting his shower without her.

Mellie took a moment to get herself together. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She found her robe and changed into it.

It took her about five minutes to stand in front of the glass door. She could see Fitz's shape behind it. The steam coming out of the shower filling the bathroom.

She took another deep breath, slowly stripping down, and the sound of water running down the shower making her heart pound fast.

She looked over, hearing the glass door sliding open and Fitz's hand coming out of it.

Mellie frowned hesitating her next move. She managed to take his hand, feeling him gently pull her into the shower.

"Hey..." He smiled, feeling she was tense.

Fitz let his hands gently slid down her shoulders pulling her closer to him.

Mellie blinked lightly, trying not to crumble in front of him. She tried hard to keep herself together.

"It's okay..." He murmured kissing her softly.

His wife slowly giving into the kiss. She took a step closer, moving her hands around his neck, "Hi..." She smiled into the kiss, slowly getting at ease.

He chuckled and turned her around, her body now between the wall and him, his lips tenderly kissing hers.

That particular shower took twenty minutes, twenty minute where they welcomed a part of their marriage they thought had died over a decade ago.

A shower that had opened the door to undiscovered territory, both hungry to explore it.

A shower that was like a lightbulb in a darkroom. One they turned on and was to stay that way.

For the following week, they struggled on keeping their hands from each other. He always the one initiating the foreplay, with Mellie easily giving in.

It was Saturday afternoon, The President of the United States was at the Oval Office, sitting at his desk. He was going through various matters. His eyes reading the words printed in the paper he was holding, his mind completely distracted.

He sighed, "Cyrus." He called out for his Chief of Staff.

"Mr. President." The elder man was at the door in a matter of seconds.

"Please have the First Lady come by my office. There's a matter I need her option on."

"May I be of your assistance in the matter, Sir?" Mr. Beene offered.

"Are you the First Lady, Cyrus?"

"No, Sir."

"Then you can't help. Now, go get my wife." The President demanded.

"Yes, Sir." Cyrus nodded and did as asked.

Mellie walked over to the West Wing. She was wearing a green dress, her dark thick hair loosen over her shoulders. She smiled at the secretary and let herself into the Oval Office.

"Did you want me?" She asked with a light smile on her face.

Mellie blushed at the look he had in his face, his eyes burning as they penetrated her own. She didn't move. He walked over, his wife closing the door behind her as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I do want you, indeed." He murmured kissing her lips.

At the other side of the door, Cyrus rolled his eyes feeling left out of whatever matter the President had.

The secretary looked over hearing The First Lady giggling, "Mr. President!" Mellie called out flirting in astonishment. Unaware she was heard at the other end.

"Shhhhhh." Fitz was heard immediately after followed by his wife's giggles.

"Maybe I'm not really needed in there." Cyrus shrugged before turning around and leaving.

The secretary agreed shaking her head.

Two days later, on a Monday night, Fitz had his wife hugged from behind. His face buried under her mid-length hair, his lips brushing against her neck. He kept his steps following her as she walked across the White House.

"Fitz, I really need to bring this list to the Chef before he leaves for the day." She chuckled, not really fighting his body.

"Let's go to bed..." He whined, grinning when she looked over her shoulder and curved an eyebrow.

"It's nine." She reminded him.

"Teddy is already in bed." He pointed out.

"He is three." She laughed lightly.

Mellie stopped walking when she felt his arms letting go of her waist, he was no longer following her. The brunette frowned lightly and turned around to find him standing in front of the Family Dining Room, he was looking in.

"Everything okay?" She wondered, slowly taking a couple of steps over.

Light from the chandelier hanging from the roof across the dining room filtering in.

Fitz smiled lightly and looked over at his wife.

"Fitz?" She tilted her head still waiting for an answer.

"You know this side of the house is completely deserted." He figured out, not a single voice could be heard beside theirs.

Mellie smiled and looked into the dining room, "Oh. I don't know..." She shook her head, looking down at his hand, offering to escort her in.

"You suggested it." He teased her, taking her hand and walking her into the large dining room. The historical wooden table hidden under a white hand-knitted tablecloth.

"I was drunk." She defended herself for the indiscreet invitation she had made a couple of years ago.

Fitz walked around her, Mellie's back facing the table now. His arm slowly hugging her, keeping her against him. He gave a step forward, letting her rear feel the edge of the table.

Mellie closed her eyes, she felt his lips slowly brushing against hers. One of her hands reached out, sliding around his neck and brushing her fingers through his hair.

He rested his hands on her hips, one of them cautiously pulling her black skirt up.

She gulped lightly, tilting her head back allowing his lips to kiss her throat up to her chin and lips. Mellie adjusted as he kept her pinned against the table, her legs slowly trapping him between them.

He smiled, as she finally found herself sitting on the table. Fitz let go for a moment, stepping out of the embrace of her legs so he could shut the door behind him.

He looked back at his wife, she was still sitting where he had left her. Her heels already on the floor, her bare feet hanging from the table, her body slightly leaned back, welcoming him to take her on that table the way his body desperately displayed he needed to.

* * *

 **A/N:** Sorry for the lack of "details", but I had to keep it T-Rated.


	7. It's Not Right, But It's Okay

The Presidential Couple was hosting a charity dinner that Saturday evening. The White House had its doors open for those guests whom President Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III and his First Lady Melody Grant were gracefully greeting.

Mellie was the master behind the event. She had dedicated the past couple of weeks on every detail displayed in the event room.

The press was covering every aspect, every move of the evening; especially those Fitz and she did. The Nation was still absorbed in their relationship.

It was until their guests, which included many politicians, and some powerful businessmen, were settled that Mellie found a second to find their seats and meet Fitz.

She asked Abby to take care of everything while she enjoyed the evening next to her husband.

Fitz was already waiting for her at their table, a drink for her in his hand. He stood up to meet her by her chair and greeted her with a soft kiss on her cheek.

Mellie smiled at him, taking the drink from him and thanking him before giving the first sip.

"No." Fitz stopped her when she tried to take her place.

At their table, they had a seat reserved for Vice-President Susan Ross, Chief of Staff Cyrus Beene and husband, Elizabeth North who was Madam's First Lady's Campaign Manager, and for Press Secretary Ms. Abigail Whelan.

Mellie tilted her head confused.

"You don't get to sit just yet. Not before you dance with me." He smiled offering his hand to escort her over to the dance floor.

Mellie smiled, nodding her head lightly before she took his hand.

The First Lady was wearing a long royal blue dress, her make-up made her blue eyes highlight. She was wearing her hair half up and half down.

The President was wearing a grey suit with a royal blue tie. He had been trying to match her in every attire for the past couple of months.

That's the first thing Mellie pointed out once they made it to the dance floor.

He had one hand around her waist and the other one playing with the loosen curls of her hair.

"I think this is adorable." She smiled softly, letting him know what was on her mind. She had one hand on his shoulder and the other one was feeling the fabric of his tie.

"My tie?" He asked with his deep voice, looking down at her with a smile.

"Yeah. We are perfect match." She said about the color. "It's sweet that you keep making sure we match." That was something she had given up on long time ago.

"I just want to make you happy." He meant about everything. If as First Lady it meant something for her that they had matching tie/gown, then as President he was going to wear a tie that matched.

Mellie smiled and let go of his tie. She held him close, hiding her face against his shoulder for a second.

She brushed her nose lightly against the collar of his shirt and looked up with a frown. She took a moment to wonder what was that she scent.

She looked around cautiously, only Fitz noticing her eyes were scanning the dance floor.

"Mel, what's wrong?" He asked lightly stealing her attention for a moment.

She smiled lightly and shook her head. "I'm sorry." She apologized and went back to dancing. "We almost didn't make it on time when getting ready." She recalled casually.

This more a reminder that they had been together all this time. They had shared a shower and gotten dressed after.

"Well, whose fault was that?" He teased her back.

Mellie laughed lightly, "You were the one who didn't want to leave the shower." She reminded him with a playful smile.

"You were the one on your-"

"Sorry Sir, may I have this dance?" Cyrus interrupted before he had to listen to whatever the First Lady was doing to prolong their shower earlier that evening.

Neither complained, they had agreed the Chief of Staff would casually steal her when she was needed.

"I'll go refresh our drinks." Fitz suggested letting Cyrus and Mellie continue the slow dance.

"We have a situation in the kitchen." Cyrus let the First Lady know.

Mellie was casually following Fitz with her eyes while Cyrus tried to explain the situation to her.

Cyrus kept talking but his words weren't being heard, "Madam?" He tried to get Mellie's attention.

She turned to face him for a second and frowned, "What's that you are wearing?" She had earlier felt the same fading scent on Fitz.

"Cologne, ma'am." He even sniffed one of his sleeves, not feeling any scent out of the ordinary. "About the kitchen..."

"You smell like prostitute." She frowned not liking the scent of what she thought was his said cologne.

"Well, it's my husband's." He admitted with a shrug. "So I guess that's accurate."

"No offense." She said between her teeth, a forced smile on her lips.

"None taken." Cyrus shook his head, "About the-"

"Kitchen. I know." Mellie finished the thought for him, "Have Ms. Whelan deal with it." She suggested. Right now she was too distracted following Fitz with her eyes to care.

"Yes, ma'am." Cyrus nodded and escorted her back to her table, assisting with her chair as she sat next to her husband.

Fitz excused Mr. Beene from the table to go take care of the small inconvenient the chef had encounter with the stove. Now that they had Madam First Lady's blessing they were going to deal with this their way.

"Your drink..." Fitz smiled and leaned close to Mellie letting his nose brush down her cheek.

She giggled and cleared her throat, "we are in public..." She reminded him between teeth.

"I don't care..." He added letting his hand travel to her side and caressed her leg over the fabric of her dress.

"People are watching..." She moved his hand back to his lap and kept it between hers, so he couldn't move them.

"And they are loving it." He pointed out.

She smiled and shook her head, "Presidential Couple can't keep their hands to themselves, and they go at it in charity event." She figured that's how the headline would read the next morning.

"Fine. I know a place we can go and make out." He let her know. "No headlines."

Mellie curved an eyebrow and hesitated for a moment, "No..." She shook her head after a few seconds of considering a tour to this secret place of his.

"Excuse us." Fitz asked Michael, Elizabeth, and Susan, giving one last sip to his drink before standing up and offering his hand to his wife.

She was shaking her head with a smile.

"You know you want to come, why say no?" He kept teasing her. He gently took her hand and helped her up.

"Because we are not sixteen." She murmured, lightly blushed.

She looked around making sure no eyes were on them as she followed him.

Before Mellie could insist she shouldn't go, she found herself being backed into an isolated lounge. She kept walking backwards, her fingers playing with his tie while their lips kept together.

He kissed her gently, his arms around her waist as he kept taking steps forward. She giggled breaking the kiss for a moment, needing to catch her breath.

Mellie looked around, no one was at sight. It was an authorized section, the lounge leading to the event room restrooms.

Fitz sat on one of the couches displayed in the lounge and playfully pulled her over to sit on his lap. "Make out with me, Mellie. Please." He smiled over.

The First Lady pushed his hair back, brushing his curls with her fingers. "But only because you said 'please'." She murmured as she leaned close, slowly parting her lips nipping at his lower lip.

She let the next fifteen minutes fly by. Their lips only pulling apart to take in some air.

Mellie cupped his cheeks as she looked down at him. She smiled and brushed her nose against his.

He brushed her hair pushing it back behind her shoulders. His head was tilted back resting against the couch. He had his other hand on her lap.

"Babe..." Mellie said softly. She pecked his lips gently and wrinkled her nose, "I need to pee." She giggled.

The brunette slowly adjusting stood on her feet, leaving his lap. She fixed her dress and stood up straight.

Fitz chuckled and adjusted parting his legs lightly as he kept himself comfortable on the couch.

"What? We are eight now?" Mellie looked over.

"No..." He couldn't help but laugh.

"So I need to pee. You pee all the time." She pointed out a little bugged.

This only made him laugh more. He stood up and hugged her from her waist again. Fitz kissed her neck gently hiding his face in her hair.

"You pee so much. You are worse than Baby Teddy, and he pees a lot!" She kept defending her point.

"I'll walk you, c'mon." He took her hands offering to walk her over to their bathroom.

She smiled softly, giving up on the argument since he wasn't fighting back and his lips kept distracting her.

Mellie kissed him gently and shook her head, "I'll just go here." She pointed back over her shoulder.

He nodded kissing her lips softly. She walked backwards out of the lounge and around the isle to make it to the restroom.

"Now we have to stop." She giggled feeling the door against her back. "I'll take me just a moment." She promised.

"I'll go in with you." He suggested, placing kisses down her neck.

"No way." She shook her head opening the door after she turned around.

Fitz held her from her waist and took a step over.

"Fitz, stay." She requested, but he still stepped in.

"It's okay. No one is here." He insisted. Three out of the four stalls were empty.

"Shhhhh." She placed her index finger on his lips and pointed at the one that was closed.

"I'm sure they are old enough to handle this." He called out in tease, embarrassing Mellie on purpose.

"God, Fitz!" She shook her head and pushed him over out of the door.

"Now they know my name. We could have gotten away with this one." He let her know in tease.

"Wait outside!" She laughed and finally made him wait there.

A lady came in, witnessing the President being pushed out of the lady's room by his First Lady.

"I'll come back later." She offered, turning around and leaving.

The couple laughed.

It only took the brunette a couple of minutes to refresh herself. She walked over to the sink counter and washed her hands. She felt a familiar scent, the one that had alerted her earlier.

She sniffed her hands lightly to check if it was the gel soap they were using.

She heard the other stall in use flush and she looked up, "I apologize for keeping you there longer..." She started, the woman in there for obvious reasons staying in her stall in order to not cause further humiliation for the First Lady.

Mellie stopped talking, her eyes went wide and her lips parted. "O...li...via-" she recognized the woman wearing white behind her.

The First Lady went blank. She would have never expected her to be there. "What are you doing here?" She asked trying to keep it together.

The other woman walked over to the sink and washed her hands, "I was invited." She casually filled Mellie in.

Mellie went pale. "Who? Who invited you?" She demanded to know.

"I don't think that's of your concern." She replied back.

"Did he ask you to come?" Mellie wondered standing straight. She was crumbling on the inside, but she needed to show composure before her husband's mistress.

"Chill out, Mellie." Olivia rolled her eyes. "I haven't heard from him since he went see me a month or so ago." She casually spilled out.

Mellie was a smart lady, and never required to have things spelled out for her. She immediately knew said visit had happened back when she flew to Virginia. /That/ night, the night he said he had gone out.

Mellie glanced over to Olivia through the mirror in front of them "What?" She murmured, her entire world evidently crumbling inside her eyes. Mellie dried her hands and without waiting for an answer or adding anything else, she stormed out of the restroom.

"Hey babe, you okay?" Fitz almost didn't stop her on her way out.

"Why don't you ask HER!?" She teared up, pointing back at the restroom "and don't you dare come after me!" Mellie headed over back to the event room. She needed to see how Olivia Pope had made it into the event without her finding out.

Fitz was left standing there confused. He turned over to face the door. The moment this one opened, he put a face to his wife's sudden change of mood

"Liv?" He saw his former mistress coming out of the restroom. He immediately knew what was upsetting his wife.

Mellie stormed into the kitchen where she found Abby giving the Chef instructions on how to grill the meat they were to serve for dinner that evening.

"This bullshit is not in my job's description." She complained a second before Mellie made it in.

"What the hell is that?" The First Lady pointed at the grill.

The Chef saw the look in Mellie Grant's eyes and knew to run. Everybody left the kitchen, but Abby.

"Um..." The red head looked around but no one was there to face Mrs. Grant but her. "This is me taking care of our inconvenience." She gulped with a nod, owning responsibility.

"Why are we serving my guests barbecue food? Did you think they were here to watch 'the game' or to share some beers?" Mellie ranted off looking around at what obviously seemed a broken oven.

"What can I do for you ma'am?" Abby decided to focus Mellie back to the reason why she had stormed into the kitchen looking like she was about to explode.

"What the hell is Olivia Pope doing in my house?" She spat out pointing toward the door.

Abby frowned at the mention of her friend. She knew very well the fixer wasn't Mrs. Grant's favorite person.

"Mayb-" the red head tried to find a reason, but got cut off before she could talk.

"She is not in the guest list. Where is my guest list?" Mellie asked. It was driving her crazy. She had stood by that door smiling and greeting each of her guests until the last one arrived.

Abby handed The First Lady the guest list and seat chart so she could figure out Olivia's presence at her dinner.

"Why is there an extra +1?" Mellie immediately noticed that.

"Not possible. We sent invitations only to the people in your guest list; including their respective +1" Abby started. "We used the same list you have always used."

Mellie looked at her annoyed. The seat chart looked in order, no extra seat aside from those they had counted.

"However, now that you are also a senator, two of the seats were under your name." Abby continued.

Mellie frowned lightly.

"You had your First Lady seat and your Virginia Junior Senator seat." Abby finally made it to the point.

"She has one of my seats?" The brunette said in disgust.

Abby nodded, "we kept the extra seat for the senate." She figured one of those ninety-nine senators had invited her. "I can find out who invited her."

"I need a drink." Mellie sighed "Just get her out of here. FIX this" She demanded, leaving the kitchen. She walked straight to the bar.

"Madam?" The bartender walked over to the lady who had just approached the bar.

"One of the strongest you may have." She ordered looking around. She saw Fitz and Olivia at the far distance. She frowned and turned back to the young man, "make that three."

The man served her one and watched her gulped it down. He looked concerned.

"Can you count?" She wiggled the empty glass in front of his face. She had asked for three drinks, so far she had only seen one.

The boy nodded but didn't serve her more.

She kept looking over at what seemed Fitz having a conversation with Olivia. She frowned and looked down at her empty glass.

She gave him a dreadful stare making the young man finally pour her another drink. Mellie immediately gulped it down.

The way her mind took her to places she didn't want to go made her dizzy. She felt her stomach being devoured by anxiousness.

From where Mellie was standing, it seemed Fitz had nodded at something Olivia was saying and taking her by the hand, he walked out with her.

Mellie set her glass down on the bar and tried to stand straight, "I need to throw up." She said in both disgust and torment.

She walked out of the event room, making it to their bedroom.

She knew on the back of her head she had to gain composure. She had forty-five minutes before her usual toast to her guests, thanking them for their donations.

It took Fitz thirty minutes to find Mellie sitting at the edge of their bed. She was holding a glass of water in her hands and she was completely lost in her blank thoughts.

"Mellie..." He sat next to her and taking the glass away from her, he replaced it with his hands.

"I only asked you for one thing..." She murmured, still looking straight in front, not making eyes contact.

"The bartender said you needed to throw up." He frowned, wanting to make sure she was okay and it was only figuratively.

She rolled her eyes and from her lap, she picked a little mint tin box. That was her answer to his concern.

He frowned and brushed her hair, pushing it back with his fingers. Fitz lightly kissed the side of her head and tried to find her eyes, trying to make eye contact.

"You went to see her." She looked down at her hands. "That night you called me and you were out." The wild things she was picturing. The way her jealousy was playing mind games to her, "The night before we almost-" she looked up trying to fight her tears.

The last thing she wanted was to ruin her make-up. "I'm not asking you to stop seeing her. Because, I'm not sure you are even capable of that." The pain, the damage that affair had cost her was evident in her voice, "and I can't control that. But I should be able to control what I see. What I hear. What I say." She finally made eye contact with him. "And all I ask, is not to see her, smell her disgusting perfume." She said that last part with despise.

"I didn't ask her to come." He promised her, bringing her hands to his lips and placing a soft kiss on them.

Mellie sighed and slowly let her head rest on his shoulder. She was surprised at how much relief it gave her to hear him say that.

She had no idea who had asked Olivia to go with them, but she didn't like it one bit.

Fitz looked down at Mellie who was still lost in her thoughts.

"I saw you leaving the room with her..." She was curious about that.

"I walked her out. I called her a cab once out the gates." He filled her in.

Mellie looked up at Fitz, it was hard to believe he had done that. She frowned lightly and kissed his cheek softly.

He smiled softly and leaned down to place a kiss on her lips, but Mellie pulled back lightly. She was still trying to calm down.

Fitz frowned and offered to kiss her cheek lightly. She smiled at the gesture.

He noticed she was welcomed to it, so kissed her forehead. She looked up at him tilting her head.

He smiled more and kissed the tip of her nose. Mellie giggled and blushed lightly.

Fitz then slowly tried to kiss her lips, but she lightly pulled back again.

He looked down to their hands and respected the space she wanted. "C'mon, you have a toast to give." He slowly helped her stand up and walked back to the gala hand in hand with her.

The Presidential couple was back at their table just in time, the other five people sharing table with them already sitting there.

First Lady Mellie Grant nailed the perfect smile and pitch on her voice during her speech. The fact that she was struggling with jealousy, insecurities, and distrust hidden under the perfection of her posture.

The rest of the evening and the exquisite and, as people were calling it, innovating meal had helped her distract her mind and enjoy the rest of the evening.

Later that night, already wearing her nightgown and after taking her make-up off, Mellie found Fitz sitting in bed, his back resting against the headboard. He was waiting for her to get in bed.

She sighed lightly from the door quietly watching him there. Mellie walked over and slowly straddled his legs, a frown in her face, her blue eyes fixed in his green ones.

He looked up and reaching out, caressed her cheek.

Mellie smiled softly, shutting her eyes for a second letting the warmth of his hand travel up to her brain, this letting a tear slid down her cheek.

"You can kiss me now..." She murmured.

Fitz smiled and gently kissed her lips, "A kiss is not enough anymore..." He whispered back.

He let his hands cup her face, her hands around his neck. She had her legs bent back, still straddling him.

"I want to make love to you..." He admitted with a warm murmur against her lips, brushing his lightly against them.

Mellie nodded her head lightly. Letting her lips kiss him, his lower lip slowly being nipped by hers.

His hands tenderly traveled down her body, and around her waist. He held her tight pushing her closer to him, letting their bodies slowly build up to the intimate moment he had suggested.


	8. A Language I don't Speak

One morning, Mellie made it down to the Dining Room. She found Vice-President Susan Ross having breakfast at the table. The First Lady wasn't used to see her eating there. She wasn't used to see her anywhere. If she had to be honest to herself; part of her avoided the other woman at all costs.

There was something about the former Senator that got on Mellie's nerves. It didn't matter how hard she tried to shake it, she couldn't... There would always be this need for her to punch her in the face and ask her to shut her face hole.

But Melody Grant was a lady, and she only let herself imagine that while smiling back.

The brunette didn't waste a second. She turned on her heel and was about to step out of the dining room when Susan asked her to stay.

Mellie was wearing a purple skirt suit. She let her hair down this time. She was already impeccable in her make-up, and had a pearl-necklace around her neck to give her attire a nice touch.

"The President had to cancel our breakfast, so I guess he sent you." Susan filled her in. "For Social Support." She added.

Fitz and his VP were to have breakfast and discuss some matters Susan was feeling concern about.

This was new information for Mellie, in fact, she thought she was to meet Fitz at the dining room and share breakfast with him.

The president was lucky his wife was great at picking up and could play along to whatever Susan was to believe.

"I'm sorry he had to cancel." Mellie turned back around. She kept by the door frame. She had her hands down in front of her and a light smile in her face.

Mellie didn't want to stay and have breakfast with her, but it was taking her a couple of seconds to find a valid excuse out of this one.

"C'mon, let's bring the First Lady some breakfast." Susan asked the maid who was by the table.

In a matter of two minutes, Mellie already had her usual seat set and the maid was pouring her some orange juice.

The brunette was loving her orange juice for the past couple of days. She was drinking it all the time. The maid already knew exactly the amount of ice cubes it should have, and to keep it coming.

Mellie thanked the maid upon receiving her cold glass of freshly made orange juice. She looked over to the chair she was to sit on and back to the woman sitting across from it.

"Now, come bring Mrs. Grant a breakfast burrito." Susan asked the maid. That's what she was having.

The chef had been surprised to hear someone at the White House was asking to eat something so standard.

"Is that what you are eating?" Mellie looked down at the plate in front of the Vice President. She tilted her head not really sure she'd like that.

It looked like a regular burrito, like the ones in Taco Bell advertisement. However, it had scrambled eggs inside and what seemed ham and sausage. Mellie didn't know what was going on inside that flour tortilla.

"It's AMAZING!" Susan assured her with over excitement. "You'll LOVE it."

Mellie curved an eyebrow and looked around, as if making sure no one was going to be there to judge her for eating breakfast burritos.

The First Lady finally took her seat and frowned at Susan still hesitating the whole burrito thing. "What's going on in there?" She was somewhat curious wanting to understand the whole concept.

Ms. Ross nodded and as she had a bite of her own breakfast burrito, she filled the First Lady in on what she could find in there.

It sounded good, and Mellie figured out she didn't have anything to lose by eating one time one of those things. She had after all, spent months eating fried chicken.

The maid was soon back with Mrs. Grant's breakfast. She thanked her grabbing her fork and knife. She slowly cut one piece and pinching it with the fork, she took it into her mouth.

Mellie slowly chewed her bite. She could feel the blend of all ingredients. How perfect those scrambled eggs tasted with melted mozzarella cheese. The juicy pieces of sausage perfectly combined with the chopped tomato and other veggies.

Those breakfast burritos were Mellie Grant approved, even if she would feel guilty for eating them.

"Told you." Susan was proud she had introduced the First Lady to something so simple and ordinary as a breakfast burrito.

The breakfast burrito had been enough ice-breaker. Soon, Mellie had politely asked her about her daughter. It was no secret the VP had a deeply affection for the girl. Sometimes, it made Mellie wish she had that sort of relationship with Karen, but it was too late for that.

The First Lady was half way into her burrito and on her third glass of orange juice when The President joined them.

He was surprised to see Susan was there. He could have sworn he cancelled on her. Mellie was also there, so he figured he was a dead man.

"Why, hello, Darling." His wife greeted him with a light smile on her face.

It was about an hour past the original time he was to meet with Susan, so no explanation was required.

He proceeded to greet his VP and kiss his wife on the top of her head.

"Want some breakfast?" Mellie offered. She was excited about the breakfast burritos. She motioned for the maid to serve the President something to drink. "You should have one of these things." She pointed out at her plate.

Fitz looked over and tilted his head. "What's that?" He asked not really appetizing it.

"It's a breakfast burrito, baby. It's out of this world." She said with a smile.

"Why are you having diner food?" He chuckled. "You should eat something substantial." He suggested not approving the burrito.

Mellie rolled her eyes, "diner food?" She had never gone to a diner. She knew her sister loved hanging out in those, but not her.

"Yeah. Next thing you'll be having a burger and fries for lunch." He teased her.

Mellie wasn't amused. "Is that a dare?" She didn't care. She had been at the dark side of junk food once and she didn't regret anything.

"No." Fitz quickly assured her. He knew it was not healthy for her body to eat like that. "Enjoy your burrito." He assured her leaning close and kissing the side of her head.

He knew better, to leave her have that burrito than annoy her and have her get their lunch be a bucket of KFC.

In a matter of minutes, the maid was back with Fitz's breakfast. It was a very complete one, fancy decorated, he was offered orange juice, coffee, and milk.

Mellie quickly requested a refill on orange juice taking advantage of the maid having the small glass pitcher in her hands.

"Susan was telling me about this Career Day her daughter has in school." Mellie filled him in on their conversation.

Fitz nodded as he slowly started to eat his food.

"She has to go next week and tell the kids how great it is to be Vice-President!" The First Lady let him know. They had never done any of that, only heard about it.

"I don't think we were ever invited to one of those." Fitz shook his head. He was glad he wasn't. It sounded delightful to share ten minutes with some kids, but his son was never too fond of him and Karen, well, she probably didn't want to be embarrassed.

"I go to Casey's every year." Susan shared with the First Couple.

Not that they were interested in hearing her out. Mellie found the idea cute at first but quickly regretted lingering on the subject longer than a minute. Now Susan was practically test running her speech with them.

Both of them had stopped paying attention the moment the other woman offered to give them a preview of what she was planning to do.

Fitz was casually enjoying his breakfast, nodding occasionally at what she had to say. Mellie, was distracted at how fast Susan was talking. She waited for a second where the other woman would stop talking and catch her breath.

That second came, and that's when the First Lady, casually interjected with an excuse to leave.

"Susan," she said apologetically, her hands motioned for her to stop. "It sounds interesting and intriguing. But, I have a conference call in..." Mellie checked her wristwatch, "ten minutes." She frowned pretending to be disappointed she couldn't hear the rest.

Fitz had his eyes wide open, not believing his wife once again had pulled something like this. "Oh you mean.. We have that-"

"Not you, Honey." Mellie interrupted him. She was only saving herself this time. "You don't have to be there. In fact, I think you have your schedule free for the next half an hour. Enough time to hear her whole presentation!"

Susan was thrilled. Fitz was not.

Mellie smiled at Fitz and waved at him from the door. "Knock yourself out." She winked at him and walked out of the dining room, her glass of orange juice in hand.

That evening, Mellie found herself standing in front of the Oval Office. The door was closed. The secretary at her desk remained quiet. The brunette kept reaching out for the doorknob but quickly pulled back.

Fitz and Mellie hadn't seen each other all day since breakfast. Since the charity dinner a couple of night ago, the First Lady had been a little distracted and distant from Fitz.

The space she was getting from him for those past two days had given her time to think.

Since that evening he went after her, Mellie felt things were really shifting between them. She loved his gestures and details. But she still couldn't shake off many things.

Seeing Olivia that other night had kept her mind distracted. She had been thinking. She knew there was only one way to take all that hurt out of her system, and heal. She wanted to heal so badly.

But her conclusion involved something she hadn't done with her husband in almost two decades. She didn't know how he was going to take on the suggestion, and in all honesty, she didn't know how to even suggest it.

That's why she was still standing there, in front of that closed door. She sighed and turned to look at the secretary after hearing her talk.

"Madam?" She nodded lightly, "You may go in. He should be finishing a call with the Japanese Ambassador."

Mellie nodded. She slowly reached out for the doorknob and turned it around. The door opened to reveal The President sitting at his desk, still on the phone.

He smiled at his wife and waved at her. Mellie stayed by the door, closing it behind her. He motioned for her to take a seat on the couch, but she remained standing. Fitz frowned; his attention still on his important call.

As the secretary had assured Mellie, he was at the end of it.

"Thank you, Ambassador. I'll let her know." He nodded and equally offered his greetings to the Ambassador's wife.

Mellie watched him hung up the phone and stand up.

"The Ambassador asked me to send his greetings to my _delightful First Lady_." He filled her in.

Mellie turned the light off making the Oval Office go dark.

Fitz hugged her from her waist and gently kissed her lips, "why are we going completely dark?" He asked curious.

"I was thinking we could cuddle up on your couch and...I don't know... Just lie there for a moment." She said lightly.

Fitz agreed and finding the couch, in the dark room, he held her in his arms, their legs tangled, their arms hugging each other, and her head resting on his chest.

"Do you remember when we used to talk all the time?" She frowned. Sometimes it was hard for her to go around the bush. She was a direct, to the point person. She wanted to talk, and hoped he would too.

Fitz smiled lightly and nodded. "We would just cuddle in the dark and tell each other about our day." He recalled the little ritual they had.

"It was just the two of us, nothing else. No one else." She added. That's why they made sure it was in the dark. They couldn't see anything, just feel each other close.

Fitz nodded lightly. Mellie didn't really have to explain more. He knew now she was there to talk. They didn't really talk, ever. But, he figured it'd be good to re-connect in that way.

Communication wasn't really a language they spoke, but it was important for them to try start.

Mellie wasn't a psychologist, but she was a smart woman and she knew that if she wanted to keep things the way they were; they would have to start taking it serious.

"How are you feeling?" She asked frowning. She knew that in order to make this moment efficient, they would have to go back to that moment in their marriage where a crack opened between them.

Back to that dark moment in her past, that event that had made her shut down.

"I like this." He said softly, letting his fingers brush her dark hair.

"I'm glad." Mellie hid her face in his neck for a moment, placing tender kisses on it. "But that's not a feeling." She frowned looking up.

They used to have this rule, that when in their communication zone, while the lights were off; they could be completely honest with each other. They could voice their feelings and thoughts knowing the other person wasn't allowed to get mad. The embrace both their bodies created when cuddling was an embrace of honesty and comprehension.

"I feel comfortable and content." He gave her two of the feelings he could relate to, had been relating for the past couple of months.

Mellie smiled, she liked his choice of words, "Is there anything you'd like to work on? Something you think it's missing?" She asked next.

Fitz couldn't think of anything. She had been very accessible. She wasn't the cold woman he had molded in his mind, she was slowly showing him her true colors again; those colors she so gracefully wore the first stage of their relationship.

They were having fun, and bonding. He was enjoying himself teasing her and hearing her giggle. "I would like for you to tell me when something is bothering you." He suggested with a soft tone.

"You mean like you making fun of my breakfast burrito this morning?" She teased him nosing close into his neck.

Fitz chuckled and caressed her back, "Yeah."

Mellie grew quiet for a moment. She took a couple of seconds to build courage and bring up that subject they should have talked about over a decade ago, "It wasn't that I didn't want you." She murmured.

The room was dark and he couldn't see her face, but her voice was broken and the pain she had been living since that one night was slowly coming out in tears.

Fitz frowned, that discussion after he found out about Andrew came to his mind. That night when he accused her of not wanting him and being a sexual person for Andrew but not for him.

"Because I did. I wanted you so bad, and I wanted to be with you." She insisted. She sobbed letting her tears slowly soak his shirt.

Fitz felt like an idiot. He had been yelling at her asking her about that thing she had supposedly lost without knowing. But now he knew, and it was heartbreaking to see his wife reliving that moment just so he could know it wasn't that she didn't want him.

"But I felt so filthy and disgusted." She frowned. It was hard to talk while she cried heavy tears of hurt. "And I couldn't let myself be with you without feeling guilty."

"It wasn't your fault... I know that now. It wasn't you." He murmured trying to help her calm down. He kissed her forehead.

"And before I knew it, I have lost you. I lost the man I love. I felt you keep away from me and then watched you love another woman."

The tears pampering his skin and the cracks in her voice showing how much it hurt that she couldn't control how she felt after that traumatic event. He frowned. If he only had known.

It truly hurt, and maybe she had projected that hurt in inappropriate ways. But it was out of desperation. If only he knew. Mellie had been building up to this moment for almost two decades. The pain and suffocation she felt when he was standing so close to her but felt so far apart.

"I'm here now." He murmured with a regretful frown. "We are here now." He added kissing her forehead lightly a couple of times.

Mellie was telling him how she felt; that's what he had requested of her before she brought up the subject. She knew she could forgive him, she was learning how to forgive him. She also knew there were things he had to forgive her for, and wished he would find in his heart to forgive.

She also knew that forgive and forget we're two different things. She knew forgetting was slightly harder. The memory stung in her heart and she knew it would be hard to let go.

"And I know we are trying and I know we are moving forward. It's you and me." She sobbed softly before letting her lips pressed against his. The kiss tasted salty due to her tears.

Fitz cupped her cheeks and gently kissed every tear he could away. He brushed her hair back, cleaning her face.

"But... I can't seem to shake her off my mind. She haunts me. The thought of her-" Mellie frowned and looked up at him.

She wanted to just shut up. He had only asked her to tell him what bothered her, he didn't complain about anything. But here she was, telling him all those things she had built up for many years.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I wasn't thinking." He decided to talk. "I didn't know..." He pressed his forehead against hers. "If I knew, I would have never..." He closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." She frowned. This was probably the first time she was apologizing to him for anything.

"I'm sorry I didn't ask. I'm sorry I didn't notice." He brushed his lips tenderly against hers. "I was so mad. I was mad and hurt and I didn't understand. I wanted to..." He sighed lightly and frowned.

Mellie looked over into his eyes. What did he want to? She tilted her head waiting for him to finish that sentence.

Fitz didn't say the rest of that sentence out loud. He thought the words, and only voiced the first impression he had of his actions, "I was an asshole." He shook his head.

Mellie blinked lightly. She didn't see him like an asshole, not always. There were times when she could see the man she had fallen in love with under all the cheating, and under all the hurtful things he had told her. She also hoped he could see the woman he had fallen for under all those layers and behind that wall she had built up around her.

"I just don't understand." She looked down for a moment, "when did I turn into the enemy?" She was doing the best she could to be who he needed her to be.

Mellie felt in her heart she had given every piece of herself to him. She had been the one person he could rely on when he needed to vent. She had been the person he could go to if he needed a boost up in confidence. She was his cheerleader, she put her career on hold so he could pursue his. And she was still all of those things, there was only one thing she had taken away after that ugly episode in her life.

"You were never the enemy. I was just upset and did things I wouldn't otherwise." He said softly, still hugging her close to his chest.

"Is having a woman who only wants sex what you want?" She wondered, the side of her head resting on his chest. His heart beating against her ear.

She was intentionally addressing his affair with Olivia. Mellie had given her entire self to make sure he was happy. She tried to be twice as supportive and twice as nurturing hoping she could make up for the lack of intimate moments.

"No. I want my wife." He murmured letting his thoughts take him back to those moments in their marriage before he ran for Governor.

The image of that caring and supportive woman he had married in his mind. She had become a blur under all the rage and confusion he felt after feeling her slowly push him away.

Both had hurt each other out of desperation. He had found someone who would feed his sexual craving, and let himself get addicted in the intoxicating adrenaline the affair generated within him.

She had done and said things out of desperation to gain his approval and attention back. She would threaten him out of distress.

"Here I am, baby. I'm your wife." She made sure to look into his eyes when she stated that. She had stayed his wife throughout those years in hope this moment would happen.

Fitz nodded and kissed her forehead a few times, tenderly kissing down to her lips. He knew his wife was in his arms and he was afraid of let go.

She was in his arms, he could smell her scent, and feel her breathing against his chest. The feeling of having her close to him made him comfortable. Feeling his heart beating in sync with hers made him content.


End file.
